


The Right Time

by greywardenblue



Series: Something Real [3]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Other, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-19 00:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12399765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greywardenblue/pseuds/greywardenblue
Summary: It's been a couple of weeks since Asra and Julian agreed to the shopkeeper dating both of them, but while their feelings for her are clear, the relationship between the two of them remains undefined. (This is technically polyamoury with MC but she is only mentioned and does not appear in this particular story.)





	The Right Time

“Zen?”

Asra lets his voice carry through the shop, and stretches lazily as he waits for the reply.

“She’s not here yet.”

Asra pauses. That isn’t the voice he expected, but it’s not surprising - Julian has been spending a lot of time here lately for someone who is chased by the guards, slipping in easily with his own key whenever he pleases.

He walks closer and pulls away the curtain, revealing Julian sprawled out on the pillows - _Asra_ ’s pillows - and staring intently at a slip of parchment, like he’s trying to decipher it.

“Aren’t you in hiding or something?”

Julian flashes his teeth at him.

“I am being careful.”

There is silence after that. It has been a long, long time since the two of them had a conversation alone, without Zenobia around. It’s been weeks since she burst into tears and apologised for not being able to choose, for leading them both on - it’s been weeks since they both decided they didn’t mind.

Despite the awkwardness between them, seeing the relieved smile on her face was enough for both.

So, Asra has gotten used to seeing Julian around the shop, lazily hanging about like he belonged there. He has gotten used to Julian blinking sleepily into a mug in the morning. He has gotten used to Julian’s laugh filling the air.

He has gotten used to all the things he could have gotten used to long ago, if only things had been differently back then.

So, Asra sits down next to Julian’s impossibly long legs and reaches out to take the parchment from his hand. Julian frowns.

“I was reading that.”

Asra says nothing as he sets the parchment aside and holds Julian’s hand in his own. He can hear Julian take the deep breath and he expects the other to pull his hand away, but he doesn’t.

Asra brings the hand to his lips and kisses the palm, slowly, almost reverently, his eyes flickering shut for a few seconds, too long to be a blink. He kisses each fingertip by one, then turns Julian’s hand in his own and kisses the back of it. Then, his kisses slowly travel down to Julian’s wrist.

He finally looks up to meet Julian’s eyes, and sees the other stare at him with wide eyes, wordlessly. Asra smiles one of his smug smiles and crawls closer, his lips finding Julian’s neck.

He bites down gently, once, and he can hear Julian let out an approving sound, he can feel Julian’s fingers curl into the back of his shirt.

“Please…”

Asra knows exactly what Julian wants, and he’s more than willing to give it later - but for now, he knows that’s not what either of them needs. For now, he  _needs_ Julian to understand that this is different, that it won’t end the same way it did last time.

His kisses travel to Julian’s jaw, then travel around the doctor’s mouth without touching it. Julian moves his head, but Asra leans away.

“I couldn’t love you, back then,” he whispers, his hand pressing against Julian’s chest, feeling the beating of his heart. “I told you I wouldn’t. Every fragment of my being only yearned to get back to her…”

Julian lets out a sigh. “That’s not surprising. She is… pretty remarkable.”

Asra ignores the interruption. “But now, if she can have us both… if  _I_  can have you both…”

His voice trails off and he meets Julian’s eyes again. They both know that wasn’t the full story, that wasn’t the only reason it ended the way it did, and yet– things are different now. 

Asra asks the question without words, and after a few moments, Julian pulls him into a kiss. Asra doesn’t pull away this time.


End file.
